The purpose that the historical anecdotes serve in these two literary pieces of art is that they serve as attention-grabbing hooks. They need to get you interested and involved in the story.
Thousands of women in the United States formed and/or joined organizations that worked to bring relief to the war-torn countries in Europe, even before official American entry into the war in April 1917
The author is giving a sense of danger with dark clouds and with a gloomy setting.
